Makeup with Mel: Everyday Makeup Routine

I have been getting quite a few compliments on how I do my makeup everyday, so I thought I would tell you guys what products I use and how I use them. Just a quick disclaimer, I am not a professional makeup artist by any means, but I love makeup so much and I use it not to cover up my face, but enhance my natural beauty.

1. Concealer

Now I don't wear concealer everyday because I don't like to layer too much makeup on my face, but when I do, I use the Mac Select Cover-up. I have tried many different concealers before, but I find that this one by Mac gives me the best result. I usually stipple it onto my problem areas or red areas, with my Mac concealer brush. I find the stippling motion blends the concealer much better, and the result is more flawless. I find that this concealer is medium-full coverage, and a little goes a long way. I generally put a dot the size of my finger tip and that is enough to cover all the problem areas on my face. It is a bit on the more expensive side, but if you are looking for a long-lasting concealer, I would suggest you try it!

2. Foundation / BB Cream

I wear foundation or BB cream almost everyday. This healthy serum foundation from Bourjois is by far my favourite foundation I've ever used. It is light weight, and gives pretty full coverage. I knew that when I was setting out to find a new foundation, I didn't want it to be heavy, and feel "cakey" on my skin. This healthy serum almost feels like a BB cream, but gives more coverage. It also smells really good! Currently I am using shade 53 which is the 3rd darkest shade in the line. I dot the foundation on my face, and then I use my Sonia Kashuk foundation brush to blend it. I suggest using a small circle motion to ensure the foundation gets distributed evenly on your face. Don't forget to blend onto your neck, so the colour looks unison! I can't stop raving about this product, and I highly suggest you try it! 

3. Highlighter

This is a new product that I've never used before. My makeup obsession has grown immensely, and I figured that I should try the Benefit High Beam highlighter. I have always wanted to try a highlighter on my face, but I never really knew how to use it. I am in love with this product! I apply it to my cheekbones, around my "t-zone", on top of  my lip, and under the corners of my eyebrows. With a stippling motion, I use my finger and blend it. It captures the light, and emphasizes my facial features. There are various shades of the Benefit highlighters, but I went with the High Beam, because it worked best for my skin tone. I have naturally pale skin, and the pearl tones in this high beam work great against my skin. 

4. Powder

I keep raving about this pressed powder, and amazing it is! This finishing powder is from Rimmel, and it is a matte powder that helps me tame the dewy foundation I used earlier. I don't want my face to be completely shiny, so I use this powder to give my skin a finishing touch! I am currently using the shade 005, and I apply it using a big fluffy powder brush. Please please try it and you won't regret it! 

5. Blush

After I apply my pressed powder, I apply my blush. My favourite blush at the moment is my Mac blush in the shade "Dainty". It is the perfect shade for the summer, and can lead into the fall season. I like it because it has a bit of shimmer in it, so it lets your face shine. --What girl doesn't love a bit of sparkle!-- I apply this with my Quo blush brush in a sweeping motion. I start from the apples of my cheeks and mork my way up to  about my jaw line. If I end up applying too much, (I'm notorious for putting on way too much blush) I will take my powder brush to blend it out. 

6. Eye shadow

My next step is eye shadow. As much as I love colour, and sparkle, I usually stick with more neutral tones for my eye makeup. This is why I'm loving the "In the Light" Stila palette. There are combinations of matte, and shimmery eye shadows that are perfect for day or night!  The shades I use for my everyday makeup are, "Bubbly", a light gold shimmer shadow, and "Sunset", a copper/chestnut brown shimmer shadow. I use "Bubbly" as my lid shade, and then with a crease brush, apply "Sunset" to my crease. These colours work very well together, and even though they are neutrals, they still have a bit of sparkle! 

7. Eyeliner

Now I'm not going to lie! I've never been the best at applying eye liner, but this eyeliner by Loréal is perfect for me. It is a liquid liner with a fine tip, which makes for easy use. 

8. Mascara

Second last step is Mascara! The Pumped Up Colossal mascara from Maybeline is my current fave. It has a waved wand, and doesn't clump. Clumpy Mascara is a "no no"! I apply two coats of this to my lashes, and it makes them so long, and voluminous. Before I apply it, I curl my lashes ever so slightly to give them even more volume.

9. Lip gloss/ Lipstick 

Now, because my lip gloss/lipstick changes so frequently, depending on my other makeup, It was hard for me to choose one to take a pic of. I generally go for more neutral pinks, but I would love to be more adventurous with my lip colours. Two of my fave lip formulas would be covergirls' "Darling", and any of the Smashbox lip glosses! Both of these are so smooth and make my lips feel moisturized and healthy. 

Makeup is so fun to experiment with, and I hope to learn more about how to apply makeup! I plan to do a future post about how to re-create celebrites makeup styles! 

Stay Beautiful

<3

Food for Thought: Grilled Tuscan Chicken

As I am trying to work off all the pizza and pasta I ate in Italy and in Greece, I decided to make a healthier option for dinner yesterday. I went with a grilled chicken breast with a tasty Tuscan vinaigrette with sauteed mushrooms and yellow peppers and placed it on a bed of rice. I added a side salad of iceberg lettuce, and cucumbers with feta.

I was very tasty, and for the most part, very healthy. I tried to keep this meal nutritious, while keeping flavour! I would say this meal was a success!

Chicken: (With some fatherly help), I barbecued the chicken breasts with a Tuscan marinade that is not too high in calories.

Mushrooms and Peppers: They were sauteed in a bit of butter, and red wine! Delicious! Cook until tender.

Salad and cucumbers: Dressed with a light vinaigrette of olive oil and vinegar, and cucumbers with a light sprinkle of salt! (although, if you are having the cucumbers with the feta, you could eliminate the salt because feta is a naturally salty cheese.)

*You could substitute the white rice, for brown rice, or wild rice. This would add even more nutrients to the dish. (unfortunately I didn't have any in my pantry, so I used white rice this time!)

I know that this will be a meal I keep on hand! It's easy and it's delicious!

<3

Early Birthday Haul from Pandora!

As an early birthday present, I decided to buy myself a beautiful Pandora charm form Greece. Is the Greek eye, and it is supposed to give you good luck, and keep you safe. I thought that since I was in Greece, it was only appropriate to treat myself!

I also got a second charm from my Nona (grandmother). She bought me a stunning turquoise seahorse charm, to remind me of Greece, and all my vacations I've spent there. I am in love with it, and it represents me, and where I've been!

Who knows what charm will come next! 

<3